Nyarugenge Intermediate Court has postponed the hearing in substance of the case against the suspended Minister of State in charge of Culture, Edouard Bamporiki, to next Wednesday, September 21. Bamporiki is accused of corruption crimes and has been under house arrest since May 5. On Friday, September 16, he appeared before the Nyamirambo-based court clad in a dark blue suit. However, after the clerk called the case, Bamporiki immediately requested for postponement saying that the trial can't go on without his lawyer. The presiding judge gave the prosecution time to comment on the request by the defendant, they said it was a fair request since it was his right to have legal representation in a criminal proceeding. The New Times understands that Bamporiki’s lawyer had earlier informed court about his absence due to the election that took place at the Rwanda Bar Association on Friday. After listening to both parties the presiding judge ruled to postpone the hearing to next week. Bamporiki was suspended on May 5 by President Paul Kagame in what was then communicated as “owing to matters of accountability under investigation.” Following his suspension, Bamporiki went on Twitter and made an apology saying that he had indeed committed a crime of corruption and he pleaded with the president to forgive him. Rwanda Investigation Bureau later confirmed that the youthful cabinet member was indeed being investigated for graft.
